Guild Wars 2

So I just unlocked my full Druid elite spec and I’d like to get some opinions. Right now I have him set as a condi Druid using A/T and SB. Is there a vast difference in performance going power over condi? I’m looking for a good pve/fractal/raid build (if I can ever get into a raid ). So any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Stubie.5834:

So I just unlocked my full Druid elite spec and I’d like to get some opinions. Right now I have him set as a condi Druid using A/T and SB. Is there a vast difference in performance going power over condi? I’m looking for a good pve/fractal/raid build (if I can ever get into a raid ). So any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

If you care strictly to dps, condition is stronger than power as druid. But for the condition build achieve its full damage you must be sure the target will stay on your fire fields and stuff. Both are fun builds, both are well accepted. Just play which one you like the most.

For a brief explanation:

Condi – highest DPS support
Power – best utility support

Here’s the thing. If you’re going Power (cleric / zealot / magi / berserker…) than your group will definitely have much easier time beating the content. If your group is made of pure elitists than going power is a waste of time since they don’t need heals.
If you’re playing condi – you’ll fail the difficult content 90% of the time, but you can boast to people that you were playing meta and they suck (so much win, right… ?).

The honest truth is that pugs are bad. They really are. Most of the time they’ll just come without a slightest clue expecting to beat Sebetha (3rd boss of 1st raid wing) with a power of friendship alone.

Meta is a lie. While condi is better for elite content, it’s far worse at casual pugging. Power is much more versatile and can adapt to a lot more situations.

So the answer for the end of the day?
Stick to whatever makes your game enjoyable (be it condi or power) but adapt your traits and utilities according to your party and always bring Frost Spotter to your party alongside with Grace of the land (druid) trait.
That’s it. Druid is not brought into content for personal DPS but for solely for these buffs.

Tragic Positive.9356:

For a brief explanation:

Condi – highest DPS support
Power – best utility support

---

Here’s the thing. If you’re going Power (cleric / zealot / magi / berserker…) than your group will definitely have much easier time beating the content. If your group is made of pure elitists than going power is a waste of time since they don’t need heals.
If you’re playing condi – you’ll fail the difficult content 90% of the time, but you can boast to people that you were playing meta and they suck (so much win, right… ?).

The honest truth is that pugs are bad. They really are. Most of the time they’ll just come without a slightest clue expecting to beat Sebetha (3rd boss of 1st raid wing) with a power of friendship alone.

Meta is a lie. While condi is better for elite content, it’s far worse at casual pugging. Power is much more versatile and can adapt to a lot more situations.

So the answer for the end of the day?
Stick to whatever makes your game enjoyable (be it condi or power) but adapt your traits and utilities according to your party and always bring Frost Spotter to your party alongside with Grace of the land (druid) trait.
That’s it. Druid is not brought into content for personal DPS but for solely for these buffs.

^ that!
Except if you are planning on doing T4 fractals. It just take so much longer with power builds. So much loooooongeeeer. For pugs, at least.

Lynnie.7213:

^ that!
Except if you are planning on doing T4 fractals. It just take so much longer with power builds. So much loooooongeeeer. For pugs, at least.

But then again, it takes so much longer because 4 other people are power, too.
Ranger’s job is to support only. Both in offense and defense.

Let’s say your heals will allow the pug to stay in combat twice as often. That’s a very exaggerated but theoretical 50% damage increase that would make your pug much faster than 5K personal DPS.
Again – completely useless for experienced runs but a life-changer for pugs.

Pugging raids: check the metabuilds on metabattle. Even if you don’t like it, it’s what most require for you to join. Viper’s sb a/t would do it. An even more popular build is healer druid.
Berserker(power) druid is a no go.

Pve end-game and fractals: both power (berserker’s) and condi (viper’s) can do. I believe high tier fractals pug groups rather have condi over power.

Oh and I’m not at home, but there are numbers and graphics etc about the ranger/druid’s condi and power builds. What it comes down to is, in short fights power has the highest dmg, in longer fights condi wins.

Tragic Positive.9356:

Lynnie.7213:

^ that!
Except if you are planning on doing T4 fractals. It just take so much longer with power builds. So much loooooongeeeer. For pugs, at least.

But then again, it takes so much longer because 4 other people are power, too.
Ranger’s job is to support only. Both in offense and defense.

Let’s say your heals will allow the pug to stay in combat twice as often. That’s a very exaggerated but theoretical 50% damage increase that would make your pug much faster than 5K personal DPS.
Again – completely useless for experienced runs but a life-changer for pugs.

True. I think he should play whatever he enjoys the most. Both builds will support your party just fine.

Lynnie.7213:

True. I think he should play whatever he enjoys the most. Both builds will support your party just fine.

Exactly.
If OP finds a stable raiding group (what he should) he’ll be asked to play a specific role that we don’t know about.

For pugging, playing Viper and saying those who die suck is a safe way to go. It might attract wipes but that’s the “almighty voice of meta”.

Interesting stuff that’s good for me to know too!

I was doing only PvP, but I think I may start switching over to more PvE since I don’t have the patience for PvP like I once had.

Having never done high-end fractals or raiding what makes condi better than power-based play?

Starbreaker.6507:

Interesting stuff that’s good for me to know too!

I was doing only PvP, but I think I may start switching over to more PvE since I don’t have the patience for PvP like I once had.

Having never done high-end fractals or raiding what makes condi better than power-based play?

Condition is better for prolonged fights when the mob/boss have high health and/or high toughness, which is the case of t4 fractals. And dps-wise, druid condi vs power, the condition build is slightly better dps.

Starbreaker.6507:

Having never done high-end fractals or raiding what makes condi better than power-based play?

It has better DPS and is considered meta – which means you won’t have problems getting into “MetaZerk” arrogant groups.

Power-based play is more support and utility oriented (for break-bars, sustain, mobility, vuln uptime, GotL distribution). You could compare it to training-wheels that make the content much easier (can make runs much faster with the inexperienced) but slows you down if your party already knows their stuff.

If you want to become a flawless Druid, I suggest you get yourself a Viper, Zealot and Berserker gear.

For Raids you can make use of all of them, depending on the encounter and your allies. In high fractals you should be using Viper unless you have plenty of Necros wich minions you should keep alive with staff aka Zealot.

Magi / Cleric works aswell instead of Zealot (Zealot is expensive) but you only gain ~10% healing for over 30% damage. It’s also a bad idea to have over 1000 thoughness in raids since it will interfere with the aggro (tanking).

Bast Bow.2958:

Pugging raids: check the metabuilds on metabattle. Even if you don’t like it, it’s what most require for you to join. Viper’s sb a/t would do it. An even more popular build is healer druid.
Berserker(power) druid is a no go.

Pve end-game and fractals: both power (berserker’s) and condi (viper’s) can do. I believe high tier fractals pug groups rather have condi over power.

Oh and I’m not at home, but there are numbers and graphics etc about the ranger/druid’s condi and power builds. What it comes down to is, in short fights power has the highest dmg, in longer fights condi wins.

Actually, and to my surprise the Power build is now rated higher than the Condi one, for raids. Not sure what has brought about this change because 5 months ago when I inquired I was told pretty much what has been said here in that Condi does tend to be a bit higher dps-wise.
But this kid is so over being Condi that I am going to give it a go and see what happens. Sounds fun and after all, that’s the goal!

Yes.

The berserker build replaces the magi/cleric or zealot build when the raid group is more experienced and has a 4-4-2 composition with another a/t viper’s (or possibly another zerker) druid and doesn’t need the healing amount of the magi/cleric or zealot druid.
I also see 1 druid going full out damage, most of the time being the a/t condi, and the other one going as much damage as possible. So in experienced groups that means full zerker, but swapping out zerker trinkets, weapons and/or armour for zealot or magi/cleric ones to meet the healing power for the group to get by.

I have seen that only once while pugging so far. Usually people want a healing druid and an a/t condi, 2 healing druids, or only 1 healing druid

I use Morbach’s (Dire ) or Pahua’s (Trailblazer’s) with trapper runes , dire accessories and weapon’s . this gives a reasonable amount of toughness and vitality for close in trapper ranger with axe/torch .and staff for mobility and evasion.you can use short bow if your have good reaction .Axe/torch with sword /dagger is kind of fun.Just remember this is for pure condi ,you’ll have little power so you can’t rely on long bow ,long sword or staff you be your primary source of damage .I’ve not tried Yassith’s/Vipers with traps considering that you can’t predict if the the person triggering the trap has retaliation.Considering the amount of condi and crit condi you might end up killing yourself with your own traps.